tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35470653250276998372024-02-02T01:45:15.171-05:00dk's right to writepersonal poetry, writing, and "stuff"dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-70203791522291811982014-05-15T14:27:00.001-04:002014-05-15T14:27:50.454-04:00America Murdered<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrPqtXXEGph3ql7TLLmF2QI6apJe56WgzkylZ7TExcsmnloQc4Df2WNTlHV3kDQO3CYM0ITPHuSjlY4r7I3UM1E2CAsHGEMFmms1F7QH52xhHAuwOu1MvTolTlzNqf6CCwbe8sh8M0FM/s1600/KingMigrationWordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrPqtXXEGph3ql7TLLmF2QI6apJe56WgzkylZ7TExcsmnloQc4Df2WNTlHV3kDQO3CYM0ITPHuSjlY4r7I3UM1E2CAsHGEMFmms1F7QH52xhHAuwOu1MvTolTlzNqf6CCwbe8sh8M0FM/s1600/KingMigrationWordle.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJrPqtXXEGph3ql7TLLmF2QI6apJe56WgzkylZ7TExcsmnloQc4Df2WNTlHV3kDQO3CYM0ITPHuSjlY4r7I3UM1E2CAsHGEMFmms1F7QH52xhHAuwOu1MvTolTlzNqf6CCwbe8sh8M0FM/s1600/KingMigrationWordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gKim0mYEB8rKyix1vlrvauJX62IhsmTQMrCQOJdGysu2nwZESrHPivOCPUkKMlr-GXi6IkupxUs2JBzvlyMAF01c07dg7H6u6IqekDLKnWXauw2Jjiuu55wX_L0qg4NxZ_GYMss_cP8/s1600/HallMigrationWordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-gKim0mYEB8rKyix1vlrvauJX62IhsmTQMrCQOJdGysu2nwZESrHPivOCPUkKMlr-GXi6IkupxUs2JBzvlyMAF01c07dg7H6u6IqekDLKnWXauw2Jjiuu55wX_L0qg4NxZ_GYMss_cP8/s1600/HallMigrationWordle.jpg" height="233" width="320" /></a><br />
I know I've been MIA here for quite a while. Actually, the writer has been MIA period. I feel a twinge now and then, but nothing serious until a few weeks ago when I was truly inspired.<br />
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I have the honor of facilitating writing workshops with some phenomenal people in Chicago - the Writers of the <i><a href="http://www.jot.org/journal_of_ordinary_thought.php" target="_blank">Journal of Ordinary Thought (JOT)</a></i>. We just finished a partnership with <a href="http://www.chipublib.org/" target="_blank">Chicago Public Library</a>'s <a href="http://onebookonechicago.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">One Book One Chicago</a> based on their 2013-14 selection <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Warmth-Other-Suns-Migration/dp/0679763880" target="_blank">"The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson</a>. If you haven't read this, you should. It's not only educational, which is very important any time, but particularly, in these times, it's also entertaining.<br />
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In my two workshops, we created word-wheels from the word "migration" as a prompt exercise, then I created wordles from the word-wheels. Another exercise was to then pull words and phrases from these word-wheels to create a piece of work. This is where the inspiration came in for me. Below is what I gleamed from their thoughts and words. Stay tuned for their complete works in the next issue of <i><a href="http://www.jot.org/current_jot.php" target="_blank">JOT</a></i>.<br />
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America Murdered<br />
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This pen writes words from anothers’ life,</div>
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from a home-story about a group dream.</div>
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Where women left the comfort of a mother-corner,</div>
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the sharing of recipes and food,</div>
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child-rearing, and white-one fearing.</div>
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Left to where black thought behind black eyes</div>
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wasn’t a crime, to where blacks could age</div>
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without being white-owned, somehow. </div>
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The group dream became one of father-building</div>
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window-children, peering and peeking.</div>
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And, when mother called, they found America murdered,</div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">when all they ever really wanted was a just home. </span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmCo0ZVPpi3vxTIU54-BtoMaKVcoSVQ0fQWzDS3HOpjV9PDHQr2ZWENZVeu-z6F9qx88eS-FFv5Tc55AHbK0q3RcTrpAGvleQ-7xWKeZ7Jd-yI06VG1bu8SptTKnvWXBk6_JJxSg5W1Q/s1600/Honeybee_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLmCo0ZVPpi3vxTIU54-BtoMaKVcoSVQ0fQWzDS3HOpjV9PDHQr2ZWENZVeu-z6F9qx88eS-FFv5Tc55AHbK0q3RcTrpAGvleQ-7xWKeZ7Jd-yI06VG1bu8SptTKnvWXBk6_JJxSg5W1Q/s320/Honeybee_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Front porch or back porch,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> after a shower,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">it's not the fault of bees</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> that you smell like a flower.</span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-64059818594269664272013-09-09T13:47:00.004-04:002013-09-09T13:47:49.859-04:00Where the Hell Have I Been?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since this blog is primarily my fiction and poetry, see <a href="http://dkchi.blogspot.com/2013/09/where-hell-have-i-been.html" target="_blank">here</a> if you really care to find out just where the hell I've been for the past 7 months. </span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-63073243372499095472013-01-17T13:37:00.000-05:002013-01-17T13:37:39.657-05:00Lazy Little BitchTrifecta Week Sixty:<br />
Idle: 3: a: shiftless, lazy<br />
b: having no evident lawful means of support<br />
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I was a bit intimidated by this prompt. I don't know why. Possibly is was because I was so energetically creative that I was afraid of "idle" being anywhere in the atmosphere. Ah, the best laid plans...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIwVMQjXZpZ-ECc16OBDReFfIWbgjM-OTuAH_YnJSdIsqwTzs2bo1cCyDGIlnfWlv-Z9uMcEur4SRQnpLEi_fxs-W77oMO8n2ULRAI7CYCWM2hIxfpTMoiAfj9PskiY4EBzEjE0d5PDI/s1600/Lazy-Bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJIwVMQjXZpZ-ECc16OBDReFfIWbgjM-OTuAH_YnJSdIsqwTzs2bo1cCyDGIlnfWlv-Z9uMcEur4SRQnpLEi_fxs-W77oMO8n2ULRAI7CYCWM2hIxfpTMoiAfj9PskiY4EBzEjE0d5PDI/s320/Lazy-Bones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The pajamas remain, daytime TV tuned in</div>
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Chips and soda, brownies and cigarettes</div>
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Animals curled ‘round about in solidarity</div>
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Sunlight glares through crystallized windows</div>
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Vitamin D blossoms useless yet welcome</div>
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The joyful execution of unexpected inspiration</div>
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Satiated to overflowing and now requires rest</div>
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Senses to settle and gather to burst forth again</div>
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Creatively drained, artistically hung-over</div>
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Or, viewed from outside, shiftless idleness</div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes,
that’s one lazy little bitch</span></span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-17365991910585944702013-01-16T08:38:00.000-05:002013-01-16T08:38:15.787-05:00Love Eludes me<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Again, inspired by Jem's poetry at <a href="http://poemaday2013.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">A Poem A Day</a> - <a href="http://poemaday2013.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/good-morning-love/" target="_blank">"Good Morning Love"</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HwqmTZ1cYmBKPZyPa7EI82g6n_cqWOgUdt8KN40NjVgh_iQr8BzP3kmWonaMeB7_EI8mHf-6K7duGp_AIWWLDM7RQE5CI7RZxeiX3G4OSP0-1Qh6pwlumkqGB65bktofiAi-1ZsAIJ4/s1600/birds+-+bald+eagles+mating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HwqmTZ1cYmBKPZyPa7EI82g6n_cqWOgUdt8KN40NjVgh_iQr8BzP3kmWonaMeB7_EI8mHf-6K7duGp_AIWWLDM7RQE5CI7RZxeiX3G4OSP0-1Qh6pwlumkqGB65bktofiAi-1ZsAIJ4/s320/birds+-+bald+eagles+mating.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love poetry eludes me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As does the thing itself</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yet, as with feathered hope</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still, it serenades quietly</span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-88726669581825983172013-01-16T08:16:00.001-05:002013-01-16T08:16:27.629-05:00Majestic Silence<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspired by my friend Jem's <a href="http://thehobbitings.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/a-winters-night/" target="_blank">"A Winter's Night,"</a> this is a an image prompt. I saw this image somewhere on Facebook, and it took my breath away. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oTysm0AwfXhxDqbz58hHpWAPm_csRiG6VHcg-3TVtA2pAGESU91LSAcBy-ll6F5v2e7N2HYb7XV8WUiucdY52-EN_3YHqLu5g3X36dFBkMEh_nlNht4b5zz4tFRjzaiLW95gmB07_6k/s1600/SnowRoad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3oTysm0AwfXhxDqbz58hHpWAPm_csRiG6VHcg-3TVtA2pAGESU91LSAcBy-ll6F5v2e7N2HYb7XV8WUiucdY52-EN_3YHqLu5g3X36dFBkMEh_nlNht4b5zz4tFRjzaiLW95gmB07_6k/s400/SnowRoad.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pure majestic license</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Commanding silence</span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-35644557875305571342013-01-12T06:51:00.001-05:002013-01-12T06:51:30.251-05:00Life Is In the Embers<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2013/01/trifextra-week-fifty.html?spref=fb" target="_blank">Trifecta</a> weekend challenge is 33 words for (of) "a new beginning." This is a recycled piece for the prompt.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Om_lTAgt4ZI4u8I0Inm711AADZR4rgkbHnkP-j3qydrHyJ9HXYZvW_1Vg49R_zBE3nqQRE3lu3Tnb2pJqv5vleV7u7qw40_Uh4ADhm2bcZq7IT4oSJWy6vk-AS4ssOacOA9DhjaoNi8/s1600/gleaming_embers_by_hameed-d204c9o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Om_lTAgt4ZI4u8I0Inm711AADZR4rgkbHnkP-j3qydrHyJ9HXYZvW_1Vg49R_zBE3nqQRE3lu3Tnb2pJqv5vleV7u7qw40_Uh4ADhm2bcZq7IT4oSJWy6vk-AS4ssOacOA9DhjaoNi8/s320/gleaming_embers_by_hameed-d204c9o.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hameed.deviantart.com/art/Gleaming-Embers-121134876" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Gleaming Embers' by Hameed</span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This day is done</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A thin pink vein </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the horizon</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It descends behind</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Treetops devour </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Images in a mind</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Flames lick the timber</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moments’ ashes remain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Life begins again in the ember</span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-74725068228517838012013-01-10T08:42:00.000-05:002013-01-10T08:42:21.504-05:00A Hades Day<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, yesterday I had the pleasure of reading this delightful poem, <a href="http://thehobbitings.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/aspects-of-winter/" target="_blank">Aspects of Winter</a>, on a Facebook friends' blog. It was created by choosing five things that signify winter without using weather. It inspired me, so I put out a Facebook call for words. It was by far the most commented on post I've had in a while. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In case there is a need, I've included an explanation of the title from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter#Mythology" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>In Greek mythology, Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his wife. Zeus ordered Hades to return her to Demeter, the goddess of the Earth and her mother. However, Hades tricked Persephone into eating the food of the dead, so Zeus decreed that Persephone would spend six months with Demeter and six months with Hades. During the time her daughter is with Hades, Demeter became depressed and caused winter. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><br /></span></i></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjshYga-ABVbJDSDw6jDiWy_-sWKUA5iF0ZZnGqHrsED2BnwGeqkp-pLHqFG24buHyWLCPxL_IftTP1NcEagBFP5Bp2BiahY-8yUpsTpdRF_TY6dC7p34vZvX-4hdzIXUPG7FoDtLxuBY/s1600/Winter-Warmth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjshYga-ABVbJDSDw6jDiWy_-sWKUA5iF0ZZnGqHrsED2BnwGeqkp-pLHqFG24buHyWLCPxL_IftTP1NcEagBFP5Bp2BiahY-8yUpsTpdRF_TY6dC7p34vZvX-4hdzIXUPG7FoDtLxuBY/s400/Winter-Warmth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.jimdenhamphotography.com/" target="_blank">Photography by Jim Denham</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cocoa steam puffs from the cocoon of a down comforter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Diffusing the shortened aurorean Mie scatter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cardinal crimson flashes against the pure whiteness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spirits' gifted remedy for the lingering darkness</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The joys of abbreviated days and extended nights</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Visions of sugar plums and mountainsob fights</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cocoa traded for hot mulled wine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fireplace glows warm and all is fine</span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-34804650076198579032013-01-09T23:00:00.000-05:002013-01-09T23:00:20.260-05:00Tomorrow is Another Day<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ah, my writing prompts seem to have me hearing the voices loud and clear lately. This is for <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/" target="_blank">Trifecta</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INTENTION (noun)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
3<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intention">a : what one intends to do or
bring about</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intention">b : the object for which a
prayer, mass, or pious act is offered</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week's word is intention. 33-333 words worth of "intention."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What I intended to do today…” she said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Was a far cry from what was done, I’m sure,” she replied. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her hand shot up habitually to run through hair that hung
over guilty eyes. “There’s just so much, ya know? Work, cleaning, weatherproofing
this drafty old house, exercising the dog. Hell, exercising me that wasn’t done
either. I’m still not even unpacked and I’ve been here four months.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was no reply from the other, only a shake of the head,
a shrug of the shoulders, and a dismissing wave of a hand. Yet, she knew the
truth. Things, the things that were intended for today and now for tomorrow,
they wouldn’t be done then either. Something else will come up, other things
will get done, and there will be more excuses. There are always excuses because
procrastination and intention dance arm in arm down the dusty road to nowhere,
and she skipped right along with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She flipped the light switch and silenced the reflection –
for now. After all, tomorrow is another day.</span></div>
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dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-68873870393530114342013-01-08T17:31:00.001-05:002013-01-08T17:31:44.300-05:00Still Running Against the Wind<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXD_3BmwfJ06hYf5OUIlJAAfvWM06_Chs-4sZk-vQ68FdLfodQ5iUMEqQcgdJQTqS-cK9WPDYDbA-q2siU1FDX2FwhyphenhyphenFyof1e2VQX5tSbK3l-H7x7lOYYXM_bFkccEn1saCLRHG0r5kpk/s1600/Space-Star-Dust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXD_3BmwfJ06hYf5OUIlJAAfvWM06_Chs-4sZk-vQ68FdLfodQ5iUMEqQcgdJQTqS-cK9WPDYDbA-q2siU1FDX2FwhyphenhyphenFyof1e2VQX5tSbK3l-H7x7lOYYXM_bFkccEn1saCLRHG0r5kpk/s1600/Space-Star-Dust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXD_3BmwfJ06hYf5OUIlJAAfvWM06_Chs-4sZk-vQ68FdLfodQ5iUMEqQcgdJQTqS-cK9WPDYDbA-q2siU1FDX2FwhyphenhyphenFyof1e2VQX5tSbK3l-H7x7lOYYXM_bFkccEn1saCLRHG0r5kpk/s1600/Space-Star-Dust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXD_3BmwfJ06hYf5OUIlJAAfvWM06_Chs-4sZk-vQ68FdLfodQ5iUMEqQcgdJQTqS-cK9WPDYDbA-q2siU1FDX2FwhyphenhyphenFyof1e2VQX5tSbK3l-H7x7lOYYXM_bFkccEn1saCLRHG0r5kpk/s320/Space-Star-Dust.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I've found yet another writing site with prompts that I'm thinking I'm going to like. <a href="http://www.velvetverbosity.com/100-words/" target="_blank">Velvet Verbosity 100 Word Challenge</a>. This weeks prompt word is dust.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They are whispers, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">whispers of love, hope, betrayal, and
dreams</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The voices of millions </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">in seemingly harmful particles, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">particles that many wipe, wash, wisk, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and wish away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They visit me, and they visit you as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you heard them?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve heard them as they float </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">through the bedroom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They are there and they are real, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">they remind me </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">that while I may still be </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">running against the wind,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I, like them, am still nothing more </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">than dust in the wind,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">traveling miles to touch those who will feel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They whisper this with love, hope, and betrayal in my
daydreams.</span></div>
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<!-- start LinkyTools script --><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=179249" type="text/javascript"></script><!-- end LinkyTools script -->dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-26425736480158948192013-01-07T11:06:00.000-05:002013-01-07T11:06:43.011-05:002013 Writing Goals<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Writing goals? Hmm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On January 1<sup>st</sup> I <a href="http://dkrighttowrite.blogspot.com/2013/01/happy-new-year-2013.html" target="_blank">wrote about not making resolutions</a>
rather continuing what has worked, letting go of what hasn’t, and things I’d
like to do more of in the New Year. Goal setting was on none of those lists; however, after reading <a href="http://thewritepractice.com/writing-goals-for-2013/" target="_blank">Sophie Novak</a>’s article on <a href="http://thewritepractice.com/" target="_blank">The Write Practice</a> blog, I
think goal setting should be added, particularly writing goals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her suggestions include:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Making a plan</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Collecting my notes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Starting new habits</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Experimenting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Prioritizing</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m not a “plan maker,” and it strikes me too much as “making
resolutions,” so that one is out – for me, for now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Collecting notes” has come up quite a bit lately. There is
a Facebook post circulating about jotting down every good thing that happens
and saving those slips of paper in a jar to be read and remembered at the end
of the year. Sophie’s suggestion is to gather all the idea’s we writers have
been jotting down everywhere into an “idea box.” This one I think is a keeper.
I’ll be “creating” my idea box today, which leads me right into “starting new
habits.” Perfect! I’ve got two down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m going to skip “experimenting” for now although both the
idea box and starting new habits may be considered experiments for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Prioritizing” is something that I’ve been working on and a
promise that I’ve made to myself. Blogging daily is the priority and so far, so
good. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, my writing goals for 2013 are shaping up to look
something like this (in no particular order):</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Blog daily, either on <a href="http://dkchi.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">ravings of dk</a> or <a href="http://dkrighttowrite.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">dk’sright to write</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Start an idea box</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Join some writing groups, first on the list is
<a href="http://s302931613.onlinehome.us/" target="_blank">Kenosha Writer’s Guild</a></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are other things on the back burners that have been
simmering for awhile – <a href="http://dkrighttowrite.blogspot.com/2011/11/nano-chapter.html" target="_blank">my novel</a>, my Georgia trip memoir (see 2011 and 2012 posts on both "<a href="http://dkchi.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">ravings</a>" and "<a href="http://dkrighttowrite.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">write</a>"), the poetry manuscript
that may be scorched it’s been there so long, and of course, submitting. My
hope is that as I work on the goals set, the others will fall into place more
easily. At least, that’s the “plan” that I haven’t made. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, all my fellow writer’s out there, what are your 2013
writing goals? I’d love to read them – and maybe steal them. :)</span></div>
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dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-9637524139108291502013-01-05T08:47:00.001-05:002013-01-05T08:48:50.294-05:00Earth<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Working on the <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2013/01/trifextra-week-forty-nine.html?showComment=1357312361565" target="_blank">Trifecta</a> weekend challenge which was to create a 33 word piece about the crust, mantle, and core of earth, interpreted in whatever manner. You can read my entry <a href="http://dkrighttowrite.blogspot.com/2013/01/simmering.html" target="_blank">here</a>. The first piece that almost wrote itself was far more than 33 words, and since I'm striving to write more in 2013, I certainly don't want to discard inspiration. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8V1nG3pR-0kixq-JiIK4Hjcci_oc6DUeeqKuFb7RGL6OX3ugBu9kGZNO36s1vrIxPwDo-wzYHxjiTqUg4-KzfK8DMifQXu78zKjSeuyBRD6o6_tSKKZxrT5qhtQ07qJWU8jEWu-RiSSw/s1600/earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8V1nG3pR-0kixq-JiIK4Hjcci_oc6DUeeqKuFb7RGL6OX3ugBu9kGZNO36s1vrIxPwDo-wzYHxjiTqUg4-KzfK8DMifQXu78zKjSeuyBRD6o6_tSKKZxrT5qhtQ07qJWU8jEWu-RiSSw/s320/earth.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #5c5c5c; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Round and round she goes</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sun above, the sun below</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The mighty ball of many layers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Brimming with eternity’s players</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They trample through the fertile crust</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Drill the mantle thrust by thrust</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the core erupts in righteous anger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They’ll deny they knew the danger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Round and round she goes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The sun above, the sun below</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Such a wonder of majestic glory</span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Deemed merely as man’s personal quarry</span></span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-16360118094882982682013-01-05T08:38:00.000-05:002013-01-05T08:38:31.963-05:00Simmering<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2013/01/trifextra-week-forty-nine.html?showComment=1357312361565#c3747913873169640691" target="_blank">Trifecta</a> weekend challenge: As you'll recall from your elementary science class days, the structure of the earth can be divided most simply into three sections: core, mantle, crust. Interpret the prompt however you wish - literal, metaphorical, or somewhere in between., in only 33 words. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVSMQWXzBM1CvoBNwWEEpQqSzdOqC2oS_MDXha440HbDG2kvOPKgicIouBEZpK1KAqt1Tas3shi8TwX4OlQwz_6siqMr3PVgdGtSyfTFYWb71VwaM9IK9zLrjEuUql54AEWn1Y9-tPSM/s1600/Satin-BrendenSanborn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhVSMQWXzBM1CvoBNwWEEpQqSzdOqC2oS_MDXha440HbDG2kvOPKgicIouBEZpK1KAqt1Tas3shi8TwX4OlQwz_6siqMr3PVgdGtSyfTFYWb71VwaM9IK9zLrjEuUql54AEWn1Y9-tPSM/s320/Satin-BrendenSanborn.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/artbybrenden" target="_blank">Art by Brenden Sanborn</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She’s a crusty old curmudgeon </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Snuggled deep within her satin mantle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Someday someone will come along</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To ignite the burning embers smoldering in her core</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">‘Til then she simmers beneath the many layers</span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-3834213453424379142013-01-04T09:34:00.000-05:002013-01-04T09:34:59.497-05:00Imperfect Haiku<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Keeping up with my promise to continue writing in 2013, hopefully doing more than in 2012, I am trying to jump on any inspiring prompt I see. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On January 1st, the <a href="http://www.jot.org/" target="_blank">Neighborhood Writing Alliance</a> posted a challenge on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NeighborhoodWritingAlliance" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page: write and share a haiku or other short poem on a piece in today's news. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">Here is my imperfect haiku:</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">Violence Against Women</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">Is fine in America</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">Happy 113th Congress</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;">In reference to:</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/02/violence-against-women-act-_n_2398553.html" target="_blank">House GOP Lets Violence Against Women ct Passed By Senate Die Without A Vote</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-91695524756965920282013-01-01T10:04:00.000-05:002013-01-02T09:07:05.397-05:00Happy New Year - 2013<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoF24glQWLqQVyV9c30anmnxwr6abtWEdtNr-_67UPvkTSQoNYlo1i__y2iF3UQ-eBZeyi6tN-BfYrpxhumXI7EiL8qxJLUoYqIBCb3GVLxpC1uWB_lnSFBHQkE-hINeCs7OcTwME5hwU/s1600/newyearwords.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoF24glQWLqQVyV9c30anmnxwr6abtWEdtNr-_67UPvkTSQoNYlo1i__y2iF3UQ-eBZeyi6tN-BfYrpxhumXI7EiL8qxJLUoYqIBCb3GVLxpC1uWB_lnSFBHQkE-hINeCs7OcTwME5hwU/s320/newyearwords.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Happy 2013</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s 7:20am, and I’m sitting in bed with Mello snoring at my
feet, Lola purring beside my head, and Rocky pacing across my torso, mad that
he hasn’t been fed yet. So far, this year feels a lot like last year. Doesn’t
it always? Even if you are resolution list maker, nothing really changes this
first day. Of course, 2013 is slightly different thanks to the U.S.
Congressional world. Things did change dramatically for some at the stroke of
midnight. For us everyday joe’s, we are waking to the same old same old, albeit
some with a sluggish knock in the head. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Personally, I quit making resolutions a long time ago – the
last time I signed that exorbitant gym contract that was lost in mid-January.
Now, I like to think about what worked in the previous year and what didn’t,
things I want to continue doing in the new year. Realistically, if you keep
doing the things that work, the things that don’t will automatically drop by
the way side. Focus on the positive and the negative has no room. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2013, I want to continue learning about myself because
that has brought me the biggest rewards. I want to keep growing spiritually and
continue this wonderful habit of feeling great in my own skin – whatever that
skin happens to look like at any given moment. Getting health and finances in
order seems to always top the list, and since I’d already started that in 2012,
it’s a keeper. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I plan to keep writing, adding more daily, and since it’s
the first thing I’m doing on January 1, 2013, looks like that’s working. A
steaming cup of joe with a dribble of eggnog, pen and paper, and it’s all off
to a good start. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are things I’d like to do more of:</span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">More leash time for Mello (and me)</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">But since it’s 8</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> degrees outside, that’s not
gonna happen now – reality</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">More smiles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">More contact with friends</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Again, since I’m not a phone person, that’ll
have to wait as well</span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">More new places and people</span></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">See above</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, you see how the first day of 2013 is no different at all
from the last day of 2012. It never really is. It is however, significantly
different from the first day of 2012, and that is what is important. The year
as a whole, one moment at a time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As I refill the coffee mug and dribble a bit more eggnog
into it, I wish you all a very happy 2013 filled with 525, 949 glorious
moments. </span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-2636694814948985512012-12-24T08:23:00.002-05:002012-12-24T08:23:49.549-05:00Seasons Greetings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>To all the world who didn't receive my Holiday card</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoeo6cIoc3rw6uXYcjmHYTUwQreAKTwtr0MgPpPdmaFDnYJMibtyjiH7JABBE-7UuEskPBkTqJy6iW6de-6vQEkl8vj-5brCzMljR2534UA9nI9Cr-OP4WWu7_c3yf9ZD4Dh-U1KGaoQ/s1600/2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoeo6cIoc3rw6uXYcjmHYTUwQreAKTwtr0MgPpPdmaFDnYJMibtyjiH7JABBE-7UuEskPBkTqJy6iW6de-6vQEkl8vj-5brCzMljR2534UA9nI9Cr-OP4WWu7_c3yf9ZD4Dh-U1KGaoQ/s1600/2012.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-71756097668392579782012-10-26T14:49:00.000-04:002012-10-26T14:49:57.052-04:00Extended Life Span Zombies - Trifextra<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXM0Xqkthyw4MMXTrvHY6PdppsXWQcvUjIO-4Jd32U7_SnbR3Rbz2AxEFUk-7znyeqzCLVPOJVZDo7FQjsO79vUVZuw0s43gOTUvCM36lPf0Ebl3QoQV4mTz84DyQsospELFwFu1SzvA/s1600/Zombie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXM0Xqkthyw4MMXTrvHY6PdppsXWQcvUjIO-4Jd32U7_SnbR3Rbz2AxEFUk-7znyeqzCLVPOJVZDo7FQjsO79vUVZuw0s43gOTUvCM36lPf0Ebl3QoQV4mTz84DyQsospELFwFu1SzvA/s320/Zombie.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Credit: Zora Neale Hurston</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Tell them. They need to know, Zora. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tell them. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is what Extended
Life Spans look like. Stop with the bean sprouts and garbanzo bean soufflé’s
already. Eat some red meat, dammit. ”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Weekend <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2012/10/trifextra-thirty-nine.html?showComment=1351262813062#c831842874114558740" target="_blank">Trifextra</a>:</b> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">We want thirty three words that are somehow related to Hurston's zombie sighting. How you structure your response is entirely up to you.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This weekend's challenge is <b>community-judged</b>.</span></div>
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<ul style="line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For the 12 hours following the close of the challenge, voting will be enabled on links. </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In order to vote, <b>return to</b> <b>this post</b> where stars will appear next to each link. To vote, simply click the star that corresponds with your favorite post.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You can vote for your <b>top three</b> favorite posts.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Voting is open to everyone. Encourage your friends to vote for you, if you wish, but please don't tell them to vote on a number. The numbering of the posts changes regularly, as authors have the ability to delete their own links at any time.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You<b> have 12 hours to vote</b>. It's not much time, so be diligent! We'll send out reminders on Twitter and Facebook.</span></li>
</ul>
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dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-10589251906963454492012-10-24T11:28:00.001-04:002012-10-24T11:28:19.872-04:00Nothing Was Always Something<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvDv1S8DbYx-PpoYbWdaT0pYIKncxi4AV3MaZgXGxkb2gZ3n7uwEBfu3ayiw9Mx0UTNkRHCZeDkiGNtO-vPKVr33imdFWnNoz8LZyi6EweF7Ed94AkuJZv_Q5dqRLlcLoRMGa-wJI1u0/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvDv1S8DbYx-PpoYbWdaT0pYIKncxi4AV3MaZgXGxkb2gZ3n7uwEBfu3ayiw9Mx0UTNkRHCZeDkiGNtO-vPKVr33imdFWnNoz8LZyi6EweF7Ed94AkuJZv_Q5dqRLlcLoRMGa-wJI1u0/s320/015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was nothing. “Nothing there,” they said, “nothing at all.”
Nothing was something. Always was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She stood in the sinister mountain mist while silence hung
on the trees. The coffee in her cup had chilled and the dampness draped her
cotton nightdress so that it clung to her iced body. The dog whimpered at her
feet and the cats climbed the screen door desperately seeking shelter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How long had she stood on the rickety porch? How long since
the last crunch of leaves echoed? It could be a deer, a bear, a tiny squirrel
but they'd not been seen in these parts for years. Not even crows dwelled in
this wasted land. Bad energy, she’d said when she moved there in the spring.
Yet, she’d stayed hoping to bring life back, somehow. Now, the corn hung black
and the tomatoes withered on the vine. The skeletal limbs of the trees creaked
and groaned with hopelessness under the vicious winds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, it was her teeth chattering that stirred her. She
slowly turned and opened the door. The animals rushed, knocking her back, and
disappeared under beds and in closets. The fire was mere embers now suggesting
she’d been peering into the gray for hour’s maybe. Wrapping the Indian blanket
around her shivering shoulders, she poured the freezing coffee down the drain
and refreshed it with the steaming. She crouched before the hearth and
scratched at the embers until they caught the new log and spit flames. Then,
she heard it again. The crunch, the scrape, the deep sighs beyond the garden. She
sat back on her haunches and listened, waiting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was nothing, nothing at all. Only, she knew, nothing was
always something. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week's <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/" target="_blank">Trifecta Challenge</a>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week's word is:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sinister" style="color: #1f2bad; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">SINISTER</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 archaic : unfavorable, unlucky<br />2 archaic : fraudulent<br />3: singularly evil or productive of evil</span><div class="sblk">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Please remember:</span></span></div>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.</span></li>
</ul>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The word itself needs to be included in your response.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only one entry per writer.</span></li>
</ul>
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dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-67373906988993072222012-10-21T07:34:00.000-04:002012-10-21T07:34:08.314-04:00Wishing Stars - Trifecta<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtwuVU_5eJRSXaRxChUBuLo26FU22GyXsv2FZNE_fnyAkSWm-TRM6fpy9-zjs56Ytb__IFEQbEb-UX4yu16KGLtBalR53QYWnwJVR5SQxl52SLbwCgh2fdKed9pE2u7sVKCS0Mx-B7Hk/s1600/stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtwuVU_5eJRSXaRxChUBuLo26FU22GyXsv2FZNE_fnyAkSWm-TRM6fpy9-zjs56Ytb__IFEQbEb-UX4yu16KGLtBalR53QYWnwJVR5SQxl52SLbwCgh2fdKed9pE2u7sVKCS0Mx-B7Hk/s1600/stars.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Wishing Stars</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hung tantalizingly from the wishing stars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love, Happiness, Riches</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Choose wisely, for all leave scars</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One is rarely accompanied by the other</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For certain rules apply</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You are prohibited in trading for another </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The weekend challenge from <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2012/10/trifextra-thirty-eight.html?spref=fb" target="_blank">Trifecta</a>. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="line-height: 19.200000762939453px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monkey's_Paw" style="color: #1f2bad; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Monkey's Paw</a>, a short story by W.W. Jacobs, is about the strings that come with granted wishes. We are asking you to write 33 words exactly about three wishes that come at a high price to the wisher.</span></span></span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-55125805560266747522012-10-17T11:25:00.000-04:002012-10-17T11:25:01.738-04:00Close The Book - Trifecta<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This weeks <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/" target="_blank">Trifecta Challenge</a> <span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">the </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">third</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> definition, which, in this case, is fairly specific.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><b>BLACK</b></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3: dressed in black</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KcjU-72a60oJmgyoTUWQFu9WdL8JizHkqH69vlO0-IOGa_2W3m6cxTJ6iEO_6nSYAR8BOZggrtp46ETGSaBfLjzqePLBp4ahMkC3Rx0oACL1fFK6gAkdNHgEreDYo0tKXd_VnjA3TZc/s1600/witch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8KcjU-72a60oJmgyoTUWQFu9WdL8JizHkqH69vlO0-IOGa_2W3m6cxTJ6iEO_6nSYAR8BOZggrtp46ETGSaBfLjzqePLBp4ahMkC3Rx0oACL1fFK6gAkdNHgEreDYo0tKXd_VnjA3TZc/s320/witch.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Close The Book</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Satin and lace splinters the air </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a toreador’s cape, a suicidal Paso Doble,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dancing with the unseen,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">alone on the hilltop – fearless and free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dressed in black, she closed the book. </span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-82664914270897764352012-10-16T17:28:00.003-04:002012-10-16T17:28:40.924-04:00Daily Accomplishment<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What have I done with the passing day? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I wrote one line to the Trifecta Challenge of 33 to 333 words for the prompt : BLACK</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3: dressed in black</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> "Satin and lace cracks the air like the toreador’s cape in a
synchronized Paso Doble, dancing with the unseen."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What the hell does that mean? And, where do I go from here?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0MQ4LO1Ah_BdRVk__4ZSWBLH3QXrpiQQmlrxHa8JbyqhARr1odZNnB7vSz9gltlIYkA9XTDlwLmK1HguW-JAvQilYTN9WYgd1oXrC1868kMJR3k5KWtnsynTvjz0GZksN3C8Gg9Rhag/s1600/AmericanGothic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0MQ4LO1Ah_BdRVk__4ZSWBLH3QXrpiQQmlrxHa8JbyqhARr1odZNnB7vSz9gltlIYkA9XTDlwLmK1HguW-JAvQilYTN9WYgd1oXrC1868kMJR3k5KWtnsynTvjz0GZksN3C8Gg9Rhag/s1600/AmericanGothic.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I helped my daughter with her art/composition homework to choose a painting that seems silent and still, and then to question it until it speaks. We went through Dali's, Botticelli's, and DaVinci's and settled on American Gothic. How's that for some variety? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I took Mello on an hour long "loose-leash" training walk around the neighborhood. He did well with still some more to go. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm cooking spaghetti before my 7-year-old's championship football game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After that, it's the Presidential Debate and the results of DWTS. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Productive day? I just don't know anymore. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, and I wrote this blog post. </span></div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-21366294741667755112012-10-10T14:12:00.001-04:002012-10-10T14:12:25.793-04:00Death - Trifecta<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This week's Trifecta challenge:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This week's word is:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death" style="background-color: white; color: #1f2bad; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DEATH</a><br style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death" style="background-color: white; color: #1f2bad; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">3 capitalized : the destroyer of life represented usually as a skeleton with a scythe</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLukOlu5WAD9fT9c3y_cSPM4y19whjxnRAs113QiMfu8uXxCzdcxog5H9Of0Uv3hygAfUoNavxUSQL2trIFA6dGp_yO2rJoSC9q0NltH6NlgCR678LRN58RrPUmzdOOFekaBVR9dTZp2Z/s1600/Death_Trifecta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigLukOlu5WAD9fT9c3y_cSPM4y19whjxnRAs113QiMfu8uXxCzdcxog5H9Of0Uv3hygAfUoNavxUSQL2trIFA6dGp_yO2rJoSC9q0NltH6NlgCR678LRN58RrPUmzdOOFekaBVR9dTZp2Z/s320/Death_Trifecta.jpg" width="315" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Death, you do not scare me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, nor your Grim Reaper projection</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I see you for who you truly are:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A welcoming warmth of purity</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The reflection of life’s infinity</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To become one with the universe</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Merging with peace and joy of eternity</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, Death you do not scare me</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I will embrace your sweet kiss whenever</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until then, my lips caress Life</span></div>
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dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-3593138634702445882012-09-21T14:48:00.000-04:002012-09-21T14:48:30.870-04:00"Ample" Trifecta<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTXMhmVhOPR8-eMbhF8inXYUh1RNSM_UlAsokvLV6prL7Ubm_gssfiyyXGNr72LPSRg-nTwVy9xmdJsejsLC0p7rW0kvQWwqxyk0RK-Nu27dy7OeRrud0qoEjzeBJKd_b4F9nxgmwfYE/s1600/Venus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNTXMhmVhOPR8-eMbhF8inXYUh1RNSM_UlAsokvLV6prL7Ubm_gssfiyyXGNr72LPSRg-nTwVy9xmdJsejsLC0p7rW0kvQWwqxyk0RK-Nu27dy7OeRrud0qoEjzeBJKd_b4F9nxgmwfYE/s320/Venus.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #9bc3d5; color: #4b5d67; line-height: 15.666666984558105px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: xx-small;">Titian, Venus with an Organist and Cupid, 1550.<br /><a href="http://venice.umwblogs.org/exhibit/titians-venetian-venuses/venus-with-musicians-theme/" target="_blank">Venice</a></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>My "Ample" <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2012/09/trifecta-week-forty-three.html?spref=fb" target="_blank">Trifecta</a></b> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You wonder at the reflection</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> in the
mirror,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and the image</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> in your
mind,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">conflicting ever with the emotions</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> in your
heart</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is one so different from the other?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One so far removed from the spirit of you?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The rise and fall of</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> the ample
bosom</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">looking back is the result of</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> the ample
dreams</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">bouncing ‘round you head, and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">the rejoices in the</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> ample love</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">pounding in your chest.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Expand more, I say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There’s ample room in the world</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">for the likes of us. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2e2d2d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2e2d2d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This week's word is:</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" /><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ample" style="background-color: white; color: #1f2bad; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">AMPLE</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> (adj.)</span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1: generous or more than adequate in size, scope, or capacity<there ample="ample" an="an" for="for" garden="garden" room="room" was="was"><br />2: generously sufficient to satisfy a requirement or need<they ample="ample" for="for" had="had" money="money" the="the" trip="trip"><br /><a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ample" style="color: #2a2aff;" target="_blank">3: buxom, portly <an ample="ample" figure="figure"></an></a></they></there></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Please remember:</span></span><ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The word itself needs to be included in your response.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above. </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.4; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Only one entry per writer.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have fun!</span></div>
</div>
</div>
dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-9874040534287374662012-08-18T11:06:00.000-04:002012-08-18T11:06:15.553-04:00Point of View Crossroad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJ3aIMcIgp9g6OjOG3epmHT0pP1PJJ5p65BND5qd9kS9raJjSbiM4_SozRjm6jhBkpGVYl6ILl2cpgac0_vadwapQSyncFZB3piBvhA6P-GHtPeDGZCNyFM_CD34dIhNEV-vo_FYJ0nM/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJ3aIMcIgp9g6OjOG3epmHT0pP1PJJ5p65BND5qd9kS9raJjSbiM4_SozRjm6jhBkpGVYl6ILl2cpgac0_vadwapQSyncFZB3piBvhA6P-GHtPeDGZCNyFM_CD34dIhNEV-vo_FYJ0nM/s320/001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Every story goes through a transition, a fork in the road decision making time. Many writers, mostly newbies, park themselves at that fork and allow the weeds to engulf them. This newbie is currently in the midst of those thorny bramble bushes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While I've been writing for years, this is my first novel attempt, hence the newbie label. The story has gone round and round in my brain forever and the characters never cease their ramblings. Last year, yes, it's been a year, when I plunked down at the direction junction, they became silent. Now, they are screaming again. Here's is my current writing dilemma:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Novel Synopsis: <span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">"In Search of Mama" is the story of Dottie Stroebe, a 1st generation German-American girl, with an illegitimate son, who falls in love with a carny man. Clayton is a one-legged Indian half-breed, fifteen years Dottie's senior. They marry, have another child and travel the circus circuit another four years before settling into a nondescript life in Chicago. When Dottie passes in 2010, a strange elderly southern gentlewoman with the same last maiden name appears at the funeral, gives Dottie's daughter, Marie, a letter that is an invitation to visit her in NC, and saying she's known Marie's mother since she was little. Fifty-years old, with nothing holding her anywhere, Marie packs up and leaves Chicago shortly after. She finds Louise in a tidy log-cabin behind a dilapidated plantation. Even though Louise has extended the invitation, she is not happy to see Marie. As Marie tries to learn what role this mysterious woman played in the life of her mother, a family story unfolds that carries us from 19th century Appalachia to the plains of Oklahoma in the year it became territory, to 20th century railroad yards of Pennsylvania to Chicago from the 1940s to current. It tells of passion, racism and family secrets hushed through generations."</span></i></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">The story, some 35,000 words, is from the daughters point of view. In the middle of 2011 NaNoWriMo, this character became flat and uninteresting. I got the sense that Dottie wanted it told from her point of view. I stopped to ponder the situation and ended up mired in the muck. Do I start over as Dottie's story? Do I push through as Marie's story? Do I continue on only changing point of view? Do I work on flushing out Marie's character? </span><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;">Both are poking and prodding for some decision to move forward in some direction. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the spring I planted sunflowers around the garden, around the chicken coop, and around the begonia pot in the middle of the yard. The chicken coop sunflowers never even sprouted. The garden flowers blossomed and are now home to bees and butterflies alike. The begonia sunflowers are stunted - only a foot tall - but bright yellow blooms. They remind me of my stunted story and the beauty that lies even in the immaturity. Although, it doesn't give me an answer. </span></span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3547065325027699837.post-7620472179127006372012-08-11T09:23:00.001-04:002012-08-11T09:23:18.941-04:00Trifextra - Triple Dipple<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; line-height: 21px;">On to <a href="http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/" target="_blank">Trifextra</a>, where this weekend we're borrowing from the musical world. Noted blues musician, Lead Belly, was quoted in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; line-height: 21px;">Three Uses of the Knife</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; line-height: 21px;"> by David Mamet as saying:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; line-height: 21px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You take a knife, you use it to cut the bread, so you'll have strength to work; you use it to shave, so you'll look nice for your lover; on discovering her with another, you use it to cut out her lying heart.</span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; line-height: 21px;">He uses one object, a knife, to flesh out a character and to tell a story in a basic three-part dramatic structure. We want the same from you. Give us 33 words (exactly) that tell us three different uses for one object. But don't just tell us that a can opener can be used to 1) open cans, 2) open beer bottles and 3) break a window in case of a fire. Tell us a story, like Lead Belly did, if you can.</span>
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2e2d2d; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #2e2d2d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 21px;">Only my second time working this, I've written three different pieces:</span></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="color: #2e2d2d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1. </span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqCAc03iXAt4480ogZ4NFORlKUHi4Mqip3q2iwlTEuclrhSMPfTz41GVUpuY2iLG_U3iM6wEGF03mZWckfmNPg5unmau9OpN1SZQ0FXxtgtQW4cEWIwTrmn1WZV4lOHdGeGDsileN0mY/s1600/emberofnicotine-164635.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqCAc03iXAt4480ogZ4NFORlKUHi4Mqip3q2iwlTEuclrhSMPfTz41GVUpuY2iLG_U3iM6wEGF03mZWckfmNPg5unmau9OpN1SZQ0FXxtgtQW4cEWIwTrmn1WZV4lOHdGeGDsileN0mY/s320/emberofnicotine-164635.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She flicked the Bic</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">and the ritual releasing candle
glowed before </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.5in;">the Bic torched his wretched
belongings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">in the dirt firepit. Only the red
tip of a </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bic lit cigarette remained </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">in the blackness.
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<b>2. </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1wadYBSvO219mdEk0w5QtQI1tmLFpgLqLTFDXuI8ApoXJ5ByBEoph4N8XE4JWquanybWWa693YO_6PMw5kka38KvjZxBS50knC3pt8XM7KoZMDNA8WA6NtVwv9AeVOcCvr84UcnbD7g/s1600/waterart-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI1wadYBSvO219mdEk0w5QtQI1tmLFpgLqLTFDXuI8ApoXJ5ByBEoph4N8XE4JWquanybWWa693YO_6PMw5kka38KvjZxBS50knC3pt8XM7KoZMDNA8WA6NtVwv9AeVOcCvr84UcnbD7g/s320/waterart-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Warm water nourished the corn and tomatoes; </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">warm water washed away fertile earth from beneath chipped
nails, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and flowed across the bathroom floor tinged with the
blood of loneliness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>3.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYeAAliNLuwYin0FQfkW_Nna14qV6SHatjcJiPIoGbg91zBuoXLEOutixmU2BsAr-xtyLOEHhaXDL7uzc0dvrcazO-MrI07wPDIoF7YtgUv5bM4uJhhRWEUHVWk4LG7zRm9tyoI-Pb7A/s1600/vw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYeAAliNLuwYin0FQfkW_Nna14qV6SHatjcJiPIoGbg91zBuoXLEOutixmU2BsAr-xtyLOEHhaXDL7uzc0dvrcazO-MrI07wPDIoF7YtgUv5bM4uJhhRWEUHVWk4LG7zRm9tyoI-Pb7A/s320/vw.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Golden hair waved from windows of a red VW puttering down
Ventura highway. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It transported a collage of beaming hope across miles. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the distance, a sienna beetle cradles the wild. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #2e2d2d; font-family: Cardo;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>dkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242132121373655847noreply@blogger.com10