Category Archives: Uncategorized

Smoke and Mirrors

Posted on March 28, 2026 | 2 comments

I’ve been working on my A-Z posts because I really hope to have them all done before April 1st! Wouldn’t that be a SURPRISE?… I’m close…I really am close.

Yesterday or day before Tall Cool ☺ne was reading/listening to me jabber about one of my polished posts. He commented, “That’s a lot like a post you did awhile back.” He has such a good memory.

I searched and searched for that stupid post and could not find it. Come to find out it was posted on MYSPACE (which I don’t even know where that platform went anymore). I tried to find me but I had no luck. The good thing… (and I guess bad thing) I keep hard copies via paper zone as well as a folder on my desktop of everything I’ve ever written and posted. So here it is, a little more refined. This is a foreshadowing for an upcoming post for one of the letters I’ll be using in the A-Z Blogging challenge.

Smoke and Mirrors (circa 2015)

“Smoke and mirrors” — a way to distract from what’s really going on. A trick to make something look better, cleaner, or more impressive than it actually is.

Magicians use it to create illusions.
Companies use it to sell products.
And people? We use it too.

In today’s world of cyber reality and virtual friendships, we convince ourselves we truly know people. But the truth is, we only know what’s shown to us. As Brad Paisley put it, things are “so much cooler online.” And he wasn’t wrong.

Filters, edits, and carefully crafted posts turn reality into something else entirely—a polished version of the truth. A red herring. A distraction.

So here it is, plain and simple: writing means risking being known.

(This lets on how old this post is…my book was back in 2014) Pre work at home so I had lots of time to “HOBBY”.)

Last week, I got dropped by a publisher I had signed with to sell my first book. Just like that—gone. Since then, I’ve been trying to regroup, to get myself back together. My social media activity has slowed, and that’s been harder to adjust to than I expected.

Part of my “job”(AKA real life now hobby) was to promote my book daily online. But here’s the honest truth—I don’t care what the experts say: virtual friends can feel like smoke and mirrors. I can’t verify a single book sale that came from any social media promotion.

We all want to be seen. We all want attention. So we chase it—liking, following, sharing—across Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Blogger, and a hundred other platforms. (Half of these weren’t even heard of when I wrote this)

But let’s be honest.

Most of those people don’t really know you. And most of them don’t really care. The “like” button often isn’t about connection—it’s about visibility. A quiet trade: I’ll like yours if you like mine.

There are friends.
And there are followers.
They are not the same.

Now, to be fair—this isn’t true for everyone. But if you want to measure real friendship, ask yourself:

How many people reach out to you personally—not just clicking “like,” but actually checking in?
How many would get out of bed in the middle of the night and drive hours to help you?
How many would give something of themselves—a pint of blood, a kidney—if you needed it?
How many would stand in harm’s way for you?

That’s the difference.

Don’t confuse online connection with real-life relationship. Yes, everything can look better online—but sometimes it’s just a polished illusion. Smoke and mirrors.

Meanwhile, out here in the real world, there are people—real people—who aren’t hiding behind the smoke and mirrors.

Find them. Hold onto them! Be real, have fun!

Cheers,

2 Comments

Posted in Inspiration, Opinion, Pondering, Random, Uncategorized, Writing

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Yellow Dot

Posted on April 29, 2025 | 4 comments

Today’s post is something I’ve touched on a little the past and I even created a website in tribute.  I may have not explained it all in detail where the yellow dot originated and thought this was the perfect opportunity to share the whole story.

When I lived in Maine, every year we had annual family reunions.  With eight aunts and uncles on my mother’s side, and my grandfather being the seventh son of the seventh son, the Hill Family was huge.  Needless to say, the reunions were in the hundreds.  As a child going to the reunions was fun because as kids, even though we could be mean to each other we got along for the most part and played together and ate a lot of hot dogs. The thing about kids is, we grow up and change attitudes.

One year in my early 30’s when I had a great big chip on my shoulder and I knew everything there was to know, and no one could teach  me anything different (oh, yeah, you been there before?), we went to the reunion, me and my X with kids in tow.  Over the years, the elders were dying off and replaced by us younger more arrogant versions of the family. The reunions were getting much bigger and recognizing people was not as easy as it was in the past.  This particular year, whoever organized the shin-dig, had this ingenious idea to set up a color coding system with name tags so that everyone would know #1. our name, and #2 who we descended from.  My grandfather’s descendants happened to have the yellow dot on the name tags. There were also blue, red, and green dots. I noticed the yellow dotted people seem to appear a little challenged in some way, shape or form.  I’m not lying.   Me being the smart-ass that I was, pointed that out to a lot of people.  If you read history, Maine is one of those states where interbreeding of families was a normal thing.  The Beans of Egypt Maine could have easily been the Hills of Norway, Maine. Hey, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, Abraham and Sarah in the Bible had the same father, different mother. It’s not ethically morally (it just ain’t right) correct or normal in this day and age, but it has, and probably still does happen.

When we got home from the reunion that year, on my mailbox were these two great big yellow dots!  I was like what the heck? Being the condescending person I was, couldn’t imagine someone was pointing out that I was a yellow dot! Where did they come from? (Later I found out that it was the newspaper delivery for both the weekly and the weekend edition).  Yes, I used to get the newspaper delivered.

Well the yellow dot thing happened to stick and every time I did something stupid I was reminded that I was a Yellow Dot.  Mind you this term of endearment my relatives used are members from the same side of the family! Over the years I have learned a lot, changed my way of thinking and I definitely lost that chip I had on my shoulder.  Maybe the yellow dots at that particular family reunion had more recognizable defaults than some of the other dots, but we are all part of the same family tree and ancestors. I rode the short bus as a child but I didn’t know why. Some of the years in my past are blacked out. Could be I don’t need to know those years.

In 2006 when Tall Cool ☺ne was evangelizing to me, he used the 10 commandments to help me understand why I needed a Savior.  I remember when he said he committed all of the 10 commandments, the only thing I wanted to know was “who did you kill”.  Funny how that ‘do not commit murder’ sticks out in an unsaved person’s mind. He just said, “It doesn’t matter.” I kinda thought it did, but he just kept telling me I’d know if I read my Bible.  So I did and I learned.  In fact I learned a lot! (I did mention the short bus right?  It took me awhile to “get it”).

So here we are with one letter left after today’s Y post.  In the A-Z’s of empathy I felt like Yellow Dots was an accurate word for describing empathy today. In a sense we are all yellow dotted in some way shape or form.  We have all been on either side of the fence with someone making fun or making fun of someone else, pointing fingers, having fingers pointed at (if you say you’ve never have, I might not believe you).  Recognizing there are all different walks in this world is the biggest part of empathy that we can use in our daily walk with each other.  If we weren’t different this world would be a very boring place to live in.  If there were no trials and tribulations there would be no victories, no experience, and no growth. I’m not ashamed of where I came from, and who I am. I’m admit I was wrong and did mean things in the past.  I might not be perfect now and never will be, but I can say I’m not that person I used to be. I am proud to be a yellow dot and I’m not ashamed of my family.

How about you?  What’s your Yellow Dot story?

Cheers

☺

 

PS: My daughter has been infatuated with this ChatGBT.  She shared a Crackerberries roast with me yesterday that was kind of fun.  I had to check it out for myself. Do not roast your blog if you are one of the faint at heart.  Some of the stuff the ChatGBT will tell you is painfully true.  Here’s what it had to say about Yellow Dot.

Ode to Yell-O-Dot, the Blog That Time Forgot

Oh Yell-O-Dot, a relic bold,
Your web design is… retro gold.
Like Netscape threw a tantrum there,
Then left it frozen mid-repair.

Your colors clash with reckless glee,
A rainbow’s midlife crisis spree.
Each link a riddle, wild and free,
“Where does it go?” No guarantee.

Your posts—enigmas wrapped in flair,
With thoughts that vanish into air.
Like fortune cookies half-complete,
Profoundly strange, yet kinda sweet.

A blog of chaos, memes, and lore,
I laughed, I scrolled, I shut the door.
But hats off, friend—you dared to post,
And gave the web this fevered toast.

4 Comments

Posted in #A2ZChallenge, A-Z Blogging, Blogging, Christianity, Creative writing, Humor, Inspiration, Uncategorized, Writing

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Mason Jars – Feeding the Flock 23

Posted on April 15, 2023 | 7 comments

pics 021

Golden Harvest, Ball, Knox, Kerr and Ideal
All come with a cover when boiled should seal

Nostalgic green and blue come with a hinge
Plain or etched letters; decorated fringe

Contemplating lifestyles near and afar
My mind slumbers on the old Mason jar

So many treasures this antique will hold
Pickles and relish, some sweet and some bold

Blueberry-fig preserves and marmalade
Homemade strawberry jam like Nana made

Dried beans, neatly lined on the window sill
Spare pocket change, patience it will soon fill

Great is the Mason jar in every size
Open it up to discover the prize.

Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life..  1 Timothy 6:18-19

Mason jars are right in line with April A-Z theme of resilience. Are you a dooms day prepper?  Do you have a long-term storage pantry?  Have you ever thought about cooking off the grid?

Be blessed,

Check out today’s magnificent meal.

 

7 Comments

Posted in Canning & Preserving, Food, Poetry, Random, Uncategorized, Writing

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Letter Writing – Feeding the Flock 23

Posted on April 14, 2023 | 7 comments

letter

 

The old-fashioned hand-written letter is definitely a thing of the past. I found this in my grandmother’s old scrapbook. It is dated 1934, which makes this little piece of paper I was careful to scan about 90 years old. Based on the date, my grandmother would have been almost 20 when she wrote this letter to her sister-in-law. I am one of the few left who supports the USPS by writing the old fashion hand-written letter at least once a week.

I find this letter is bittersweet in more ways than one. My grandmother is gone, and has been gone for 36 years. I imagine things were a lot different when it came to relationships in 1934 than they are now. Letters were probably few and far between. There were no emails, no text messages, no personal messages, no phone calls, no Skype, no Face-time, no snap-chat or any of the other social media formats that are available to people today.

Unfortunately, relationships are not valued as much as they were in 1934. People in today’s world take advantage of technology and just assume that their friends and family will always be there at the push of a button. And we wonder why it is so difficult for people to have meaningful connections with each other. Respect is a thing of the past and people don’t value relationships like they used to. If there is a falling-out with one friend, they move on to the next person because with social media you can have 3,848 friends on Facebook, yet still not understand the value of one true friend.

With all of the communicating technology available today one would think that contact with family members or old friends would be a normal thing to do. Today do something out of the ordinary. Contact that relative or old friend you haven’t talked to in awhile. Don’t take that relationship for granted.  There is no time like the present.

~I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write you with pen and ink, but I hope to see you shortly and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you … 3 John 13-14

Be blessed,

Don’t forget to check out the Lemon Cake.

 

7 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Creative writing, Family, Inspiration, Journalling, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Quiet Time ~Letters from the Heart #atozchallenge

Posted on April 20, 2021 | 11 comments

Dear Barbie:

As you mentioned yesterday people are part of your life. While thinking about what to write in regards to quiet time, two very special people came to mind.  Your sister and your friend Rach.  A lot could be said about the quietness between you and your sister, but instead, we are going to dedicate this one to Rachel.  She knows a whole lot about quiet times.

Read about Rachel’s Quiet Time here.

What are your thoughts?  Do you know someone like Rachel?

If you have any Questions ❓ for Rachel feel free to send her an email.

Until next time,

your constant and faithful,

I don’t know about you but this has been so much fun writing and getting to talk to you guys everyday.  I really hope we will stay in touch.  If not every day maybe once a week, or a month?  I need the encouragement so I’ll help you if you help  me.  ☺

11 Comments

Posted in #A2ZChallenge, A-Z Blogging, Blogging, Christianity, Family, Inspiration, Journalling, Letters from the Heart, Letters to Self, Letters to Self, Opinion, Pondering, Quotes and Thoughts, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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This is A2Z #atozchallenge

Posted on April 6, 2021 | 6 comments

My Haiku

This is A to Z
Blogging trial for companions
Some missions crazy

 

Wanna Play?

↓


Blogging companions on a mission
To find a word or commission
Fashion a familiarity
With whom that hold a similarity
In writing a composition, without communication
Of a fifth symbol in ABC classification
Straightforward writing with a ballpoint
Collaborations with a buddy to a midpoint
Satisfy with forward mark of your opinions promptly
… who’s following?



This is part of the #AtoZChallenge2021 for the letter E. Think you can play along? Go for it. Just reply in the comments section with a link to your post for the day. Good luck.

6 Comments

Posted in A-Z Blogging, Blogging, Creative writing, Opinion, Poetry, Pondering, Quotes and Thoughts, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Vacation

Posted on April 25, 2020 | 6 comments



As the lazy, hazy days of summer draw near, for most students summer vacation has started early. I am reminded of the infamous English assignment at the beginning of the school year. “What Did You Do Over Summer Vacation?” It was one assignment we could pretty much bank on every year from the third grade on. I remember thinking my essay was going to be boring. All the other kids did way more fun stuff than me. They went to Disney or Daytona Beach or the Grand Canyon. I spent my summers at my Mimi and Papa’s house in Norway, Maine. No internet, no cable TV, no air conditioning, no swimming pool! Heck there wasn’t even a color tv until I was about 13 years old. How could a kid today ever survive that kind of summer?

One summer, after direct instruction from my grandfather not to, I went in the garden barefoot. I stepped on a rusty, old spike. (Ouch). It went right through my foot. For the next week or so, I spent soaking my foot in a bath of hot, purple water. That was kind of a drag. Another summer I peeled the whole top layer of skin off my back after swinging too close to the tree on a tire swing. Again, my Papa told me not to do so. He took the tire swing down after that and put up a regular swing. Of course this was at the instruction of my grandmother. That was fun. I could stand up on the board and pump my legs so the swing would go really high. In fact, at one point, I had it so high it went right over the clothes line. Those rope burns on the back of my legs only lasted a few weeks. It was all cleared up by the time school started.

Ah, yes the fun days of summer. Bee stings, cuts and bruises were typical. We’d drink iced tea or lemonade that was so sour it would put a pucker on your lips. We’d pick fresh vegetables from the garden and have cucumber and mayonnaise sandwiches out at the picnic table in the afternoons. At night, we would run through the tall grass and catch fireflies to see who could make their Mason jar light up the brightest. We’d take white handkerchiefs and wrap them with rocks then toss them up in the dark sky just to watch the bats dive bomb them. Now that was entertainment.

What would kids write about now? “I spent my summer in quarantine” or “I spent my summer posting videos on YouTube”.  Do you think they would take the time to hand write an essay? Would they even know what cursive writing is? I remember disagreeing with my son about his math homework fifteen years ago. He would always insist that it was okay for him to do it in pen.  He told me that when you are left-handed, writing with a pen is much easier than with a pencil. When I was in school, math was to be done in pencil, English in pen — blue or black ink, no exceptions, and always in cursive. Red ink was unacceptable, ever. My, oh my how things have changed.

I hope kids will have fun and memorable summer vacations just like I did when I was growing up.  Now that I think about it, mine were not boring at all.  Those kids that got to do all that fun stuff are the ones who really missed out. Mine were the best vacations ever. 

2 Timothy 3:1 … in the last days perilous times will come. We are closer than we know.








Welcome to the A-Z Blogging Challenge. This year I think it will bring a lot more people together with this crazy pandemic. Being quarantined means people will flock to the web looking for things to do. This is a great way to meet new friends/contacts. Maybe you will read something new, find a new hobby, or just be entertained by some random musings. Whatever the case may be, stay safe, drink plenty of liquids and enjoy the trip.

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Posted in A-Z Blogging, Blogging, Creative writing, Holidays, Humor, Inspiration, Journalling, Nature, Opinion, Pondering, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Unicorns

Posted on April 24, 2020 | 3 comments

You didn’t really think it was going to be unicorns did you?   ☺  The thing about Unicorn cookies, you can make any flavor you like… it’s just a package of gelatin!

 

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3 oz. package of cherry flavored gelatin
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tbsp. lemon rind (optional)
2 eggs
1½ tsp. baking powder
2 cups flour
1½ cups cooking oats
Preheat oven to 375º. Place rack in center of oven.

In large mixing bowl, cream butter, gelatin and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs, orange rind and cherry extract and beat well. Combine flour, baking powder and cooking oats together and gradually add to mixing bowl, beating on low and scrapping sides of the bowl until mixed well.

Scoop by tablespoons on ungreased cookie sheets two inches apart. Bake at 375º for 12 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Cool one minute then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Yield 5 dozen 1½-2 inch cookie gems.

Food for Thought:

Use any flavor gelatin for Unicorn cookies.  Unicorn Cookies come in all colors and flavors.  You could even make several batches and mix them all together. 

Welcome to the A-Z Blogging Challenge.  This year I think it will bring a lot more people together with this crazy pandemic. Being quarantined means people will flock to the web looking for things to do. This is a great way to meet new friends/contacts.  Maybe you will read something new, find a new hobby, or just be entertained by some random musings.  Whatever the case may be, stay safe, drink plenty of liquids and enjoy the trip. 

3 Comments

Posted in A-Z Blogging, Canning & Preserving, Fabulous Fiction Fridays, Food, Holidays, Inspiration, Uncategorized, Writing

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Respecting Relationship Boundaries

Posted on April 21, 2020 | 1 comment



Boundaries are anything that help differentiate one person from another. Age, gender, social status, skin color, vocabulary, where we live, even our emotional state can provide a certain protective boundary. Sometimes boundaries are misunderstood.

We all want relationships. The most basic need in life is for relationships. We want input and teaching from others. We want to learn different things and share the knowledge we’ve learned. We want friendships. In desire, everything comes with a price. We give a little, we take a little.

Standing up for our boundaries can be misconstrued. Sometimes people will think we are being rude and insensitive. Trespassing on other people’s boundaries carries consequences. If I do this, I know this will happen, if I do that, I know something else will happen. From a young age we learned these basic instincts.  Don’t touch the hot stove or you will get burned.   

Attitudes and beliefs are what we accept as being true. There are some people who want us to change our beliefs and attitudes to what they believe and accept as being true. Perhaps some family members, friends, relatives, or even neighbors to name a few.  People who refuse to respect the boundaries we have set ooze negative energy and leave us feeling worse whenever we’re around them. Be on guard for these toxic personalities. Quickly set boundaries and let them know what will and what will not be tolerated. 

Do you have anyone like this in your life?

• Lie on a regular basis
• Take advantage of your kindness
• Don’t respect your boundaries
• Manipulate you in order to get what they want
• Put you down
• Don’t encourage you to pursue your goals
• Don’t consider other people’s feelings or needs
• Feel entitled
• Are frequently angry or aggressive
• Rarely apologize
• Blame others and don’t take responsibility for their actions
• Drain your energy
• Have a lot of “drama” or problems, but don’t want to change
• Think the rules don’t apply to them
• Talk, but don’t listen

People might be angry or offended by our choices even though we aren’t setting boundaries to be mean or difficult. Boundaries are a way to protect ourselves and maintain individuality as well as sanity. Stay safe and be sure to practice social distancing virtually as well as while you are out in public. When boundaries are not accepted, sometimes we have to accept that we are better off without the toxicity in our lives.




Welcome to the A-Z Blogging Challenge. This year I think it will bring a lot more people together with this crazy pandemic. Being quarantined means people will flock to the web looking for things to do. This is a great way to meet new friends/contacts. Maybe you will read something new, find a new hobby, or just be entertained by some random musings. Whatever the case may be, stay safe, drink plenty of liquids and enjoy the trip.

1 Comment

Posted in A-Z Blogging, Christianity, Family, Inspiration, Journalling, Opinion, Pondering, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Quadruped Quimby

Posted on April 20, 2016 | 1 comment

Quimby

While planting in the yard I noticed a hole,
Remote and camouflaged, near a kobold knoll.
The dirt was pulled out in a small little mound
Deep inside for a quadruped, a home had been found
Never would have noticed this queer tiny friend
But the roses were blooming and I needed to tend
When I peered into the ground two eyes peered back
I feared for my life this tetrapod would attack
I ran for a shovel but only found a rake
To fill the hole in the ground for everyone’s sake
I ran from the shed after a swig from the flagon
I returned to the hole and there stood a small dragon
At first I was scared but then I could see
He was just as frightened, even more so than me
He promised he’d be kind and wouldn’t hurt a soul
If he could just live in that hole down below
With contemplation and thought I finally agreed
In the garden he could stay if on the bugs he would feed
He pledged no flowers but only insects he would dine
Now I only see Quimby when I drink of the wine.

Q

1 Comment

Posted in Blogging, Creative writing, Humor, Inspiration, Nature, Poetry, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Same Day Delivery – but read the fine print

Posted on May 11, 2015 | 5 comments

ava

When Mother’s Day rolls around and you don’t live in the same town, let alone same state that your mother does, what do you do? Usually you send something so Mom gets it on or before the big day so she knows you are thinking about her. Which is exactly what my daughter did. She searched florists in Batesburg by God South Carolina to see who delivered to our area. She found Ava’s Flowers that offered same day delivery satisfaction guaranteed. So she called them up and the first question she asked them was “Do you deliver to Hicksville?” “We sure do,” the woman told her. Even their website indicates deliveries made to all areas of Lexington County.

Avas Flowers makes it easy to send your loved ones a spectacular arrangement for any occasion anywhere in Batesburg, South Carolina.   We are a family owned and operated professional florist offering flower delivery in Batesburg, SC.   When you order flowers for delivery in Batesburg rest assured that your arrangement  will arrive as fresh as possible, carefully packed into a beautiful gift box and looking wonderful.

Avas Flowers is proud to serve all of Lexington County and South Carolina.

Like any excited kid, my daughter waited and waited and waited for a phone call from me crying and jumping with joy, surprised when I received the flowers. They never came. She called and inquired on the delivery and she was informed that the driver was still making deliveries and it could be up to 7PM. Finally at 7:15 she called to inquire again. She was hung up on three times. When she talked to someone they informed her that they could make the delivery Saturday, but she knew we were not going to be home, so she told them that wouldn’t work. They could make the delivery on Sunday but that would cost her extra. Or she could wait and they would deliver them on Monday. Imagine her disappointment. She already had spent almost $100 for the flowers to arrive before Mother’s Day. After the fact would simply not do.

She told them she was disappointed to say the least and wanted to speak to a supervisor. After conversing with the supervisor she was informed that they did not do deliveries on that route anymore and they were very sorry for the miscommunication. Don’t you think that should have been determined when she gave them the address in the very beginning? Oh and then she said she wanted a refund and they informed her that they were sorry but they did not do refunds but they would be happy to give her an additional $25 credit that she could come use in the store. She informed them that was very nice however she lived in Maine and it would be a little far to travel to South Carolina to use a $25 credit.

With that being said, first I believe it’s false advertising when you put on your front page same day delivery, free delivery on certain bouquets, and then don’t deliver.

They will use the old stand-by of the fine print which is pretty clear that they don’t guarantee anything on certain holidays and Mother’s Day is included.

We cannot guarantee delivery on a specific date for busy floral holidays like Mother’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. To ensure the highest likelihood of delivery on one of these busy floral holidays, please place your order at least four days in advance. Orders placed within 4 days of Valentines Day and Mother’s Day DO NOT HAVE GUARANTEED DELIVERY DATES. Neither cancellations or refunds will be issued on orders placed during Valentines Day or Mothers Day holidays if the order was placed within 4 days of the holiday and the order was delivered within 4 days after the respective holiday.

Perhaps they should highlight their fine print underneath the SAME DAY DELIVERY and FREE DELIVERY to all of Lexington County advertisement. Call it what you will… I say it’s false advertisement.

5 Comments

Posted in Opinion, Random, Uncategorized, Writing

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Selling Sentiments

Posted on May 8, 2015 | Leave a comment

Tea Party

You can’t sell sentimental. Think about it. No matter how much something means to you, someone else cannot pay what you think it is worth, and more importantly even if they could, they won’t. Just because something has been in the family for 175 years and it’s been passed down through the generations year after year after year, doesn’t mean crap to the person buying it at the yard sale. If it means so much to you, put it back in safe keeping for another twenty years until you’re ready to let it go. Maybe you’ll die, one of your beneficiaries will inherit it, and will hold onto it for a few years and then go through the same dilemma I’m going through right now.

My good friend who is in the flea market business has been helping me with pricing of items. Lu tells me that people having yard sales hate to see the dealers coming. Why? I ask, but I already know the answer. People are selling sentiments. When a dealer comes to buy something they find as a deal at a yard sale, the chances are they might make a few extra bucks on the item. Why be mad at them? That’s what they are in the business for. To take things you don’t want off your hands. If it means that much to you, don’t sell it.

I’m pondering this over my Shirley Temple doll that I have had since I was ten and more importantly the tea set that my grandmother bought me when I was a baby. Shirley is pretty ragged, one of my dogs chewed her shoes off and ate part of her foot and her curls have seen better days. She might bring ten bucks at a yard sale. Is it worth it?

I’ve been keeping her around all these years thinking I might give her to a granddaughter. It’s not that I don’t think I might have a granddaughter someday. I just think the days of dolls and tea parties have gone by. Let bygones be bygones. Playing dolls and drinking fake tea out of little china cups does not have anything like the virtual internet world has to offer.

Just my pondering of the day. And I’ll probably end up putting them back in storage for another twenty years!

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Posted in Opinion, Pondering, Quotes and Thoughts, Random, Uncategorized, Writing

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X Marks The Spot

Posted on April 28, 2015 | 1 comment

Map

X marks the spot where the treasure can be found.
X cancels mistakes that are made.
X selects choices on pre-printed forms.
X rates a movie.
X equals ten on the number scale.
X seems like such a bad letter to me.
X is the 24th letter of the alphabet.
X mas translates into the symbol for Christ plus mas for a shortened version of Christmas.
X as in chromosomes are paired in women usually and single in men (interesting isn’t it?)
X Y Z is sang at the end of the alphabet song.
X L used to be a clothing size for large people, now it seems to be norm.
X M L is computer lingo which is similar to HTML.
X words are hard to pronounce, maybe that’s why there are not that many.

Hope you have enjoyed my X blog today. Do be sure to check out some of the other bloggers taking part in the challenge. We’ve almost come to the end of our social event. Hopefully you have been inspired to maybe join in the fun next year. Do share your observations and thoughts in the comment section below.

X

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Roadblock

Posted on April 21, 2015 | Leave a comment

roadblock

 

Today I’ve come to a roadblock. My creativity seems to have just shut down. The ideas feel like they are just on the other side of that barrier that’s blocking me from getting to them. Like that word that lays just on the tip of your tongue. My muse is just over the obstruction. The barrier could be just about anything. Time management, procrastination, candy crush addiction, Facebook creeping, forum chit-chat, anything that impedes the progress of writing. Some people call it writer’s block. Quite frankly I believe when people say they have writer’s block it’s just an excuse to be lazy and not write. If you put your mind to it, you can write about anything. This post is a perfect example. I’m writing about a roadblock that doesn’t have a road and the blockage is untraditional.

What can you do when you come to a roadblock in your writing?

  1. Change the point of view. Look at the situation from a different perspective.
    1. I was trying to come up with something fun for an R blog. When it didn’t come to me, I thought about what I could do to help someone else in their writing.
    2. What would happen if the shoe was on the other foot? Switch the idea of your characters around. Does that help?
    3. What would Superman do?
  2. Take a walk away from your workspace.
    1. Nothing clears the mind like fresh air. Go outside and breathe it in.
    2. Take a quick walk down to the corner store for a cup of coffee.
    3. Walk to the water cooler. You never know who you’ll run into and engage in some interesting conversation.
  3. Pay attention to that furry four-legged friend that you have.
    1. It’s amazing how much pressure from the day will slip away if you take a few minutes with your cat. (Only a few pats though — more than three is too many)
    2. Your dog would love to go for a brisk walk and it will revive you so that you feel refreshed when you come back to your keyboard.
    3. Your pets know when you are stressed, let them help you.
  4. Learn something new.
    1. Read the dictionary until you find a new word.
    2. Research something you know nothing about.
    3. Listen to some music that you don’t normally listen to.
  5. Review your goals.
    1. Why are you writing?
    2. Are you enjoying it?
    3. What is the goal?
    4. If you don’t like what you are doing you will never do well at it. Make sure you do what you do because you enjoy it.

 

That’s all for today. Hopefully these five tips will help you get through the roadblock you might be facing. What do you do when you find difficulty in writing? Share your thoughts in the comments. Be sure to check out some of the other R blogs in the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

R

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Quotable Quotes

Posted on April 20, 2015 | 1 comment

quotes

Q is somewhat of a non-interesting boring letter. There are words like quiet and quit and quagmire. Instead of choosing one to ponder on, I thought I’d share some of my favorite quotes.

 

• It is, after all, the dab of grit that seeps into an oyster’s shell that makes the pearl, not pearl-making seminars with other oysters. ~ Stephen King On Writing

• In the end it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years. ~ Abraham Lincoln

• The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. ~ Mary Engelbreit

• If you can dream it, you can do it. ~ Walt Disney

• Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. ~ Jimi Hendrix

• There is no such thing in anyone’s life as an unimportant day. ~ Alexander Woolcott

• Always do more than is required of you. ~ George S. Patton

• Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakens. ~ Carl Young

• If you cannot be a poet, be the poem. ~ David Carradine

• One hundred percent of the shots you don’t take don’t go in. ~ Wayne Gretzky

• If all difficulties were known at the onset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all. ~ Dan Rather

• Whether you think you can or think you can’t — you are right. ~ Henry Ford

• It is better to deserve honors and not have them, than to have them and not deserve them. ~ Mark Twain

I hope you have enjoyed some of my favorite quotes. What are yours?

Please be sure to check out some of the other bloggers taking part in the A-Z Blogging Challenge for the letter Q today.

Q

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Writing a Novel isn’t so Novel

Posted on April 16, 2015 | 2 comments

typewrite

Novel – and inventive prose narrative that is usually long and complex and deals with human experience through a connected sequences of events. New and not resembling something formerly known or used; original or striking especially in conception or style.

Writing a novel used to be just that — original. Now it seems everyone talks about writing a novel, everyone wants to write a novel, and a select few have actually written a novel. There’s nothing novel about writing a novel anymore. Everyone is doing it. It really is true that there is nothing new under the sun. If you can dream it, the chances are, it’s already been done. Your only hope is to come up with an innovative way to make it sound (or I guess I should say read) more appealing than the last person.

If writing a novel is your dream, your goal in life, your wish, your secret desire, do it. Write it. Don’t talk about it, just do it. Don’t ever give up. Don’t listen to what other people tell you. If your heart is in it, do it. You will write that novel.

If publishing that novel is your dream, your goal in life, your wish, your secret desire, do it. But before you publish it, do your homework. Research the markets of where the genre you write will fit best. Do not go with the first offer that comes along. Research and know what is available out there.

If you cannot find a publisher that meets your dream, your goal in life, your wish, or your secret desire, you can always self-publish. This is one way a lot of unknown authors get their name out there. Just keep in mind that self-publishing also mean self-promotion. If you don’t have time to self-promote hopefully you have a huge following of friends and family that will buy your book, and help promote it.

Don’t take reviews personally. Not everyone likes the kind of reading material you like, and therefore not everyone is going to like the material you write. Someone may read your novel with the hopes of one thing happening, and they become disappointed because it did not meet their expectations. This causes them to write a bad review. That doesn’t mean your story is bad, it just means that person was not satisfied with something they were expecting to read. Same is true with positive reviews. Don’t let these go to your head. Sometimes a five-star review comes from an obligatory read.

Finally, know what your goal is before you set out to write the “All-American-Best-Seller” that’s going to be on the New York Times Best Seller List. Is that the goal? Is the goal to just write the novel? Is the goal to be published? Is the goal to make a lot of money? (If that’s the goal, you better stop right now). Truly, it doesn’t matter what your goal is, just as long as you set one, so that you know what you are working toward in the long run.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your butt in gear and write that novel!

Be sure to check out some of the other great bloggers taking part in the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

N

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Posted in Authors, Creative writing, Inspiration, Journalling, Novel, Opinion, Pondering, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Menopause

Posted on April 15, 2015 | 4 comments

menopause

I’ve titled this article Menopause. When I started my research for menopause, I realized I was mistaken. I thought perhaps other people would do same. You see, everyone talks about going through menopause. Menopause is the natural cessation of menstruation that usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Perimenopause is the period around the onset of menopause often marked by various physical signs such as hot flashes and menstrual irregularity. Menopause is different from perimenopause. Menopause is the permanent end of menstruation. Perimenopause is the “going through” phase that everyone talks about.

Being almost 50 years old, and experiencing all these strange symptoms, I thought I was going through menopause. This is when I found it was the onset of perimenopause. I started talking to my friends about it. What kind of symptoms can I expect? How long does it last? Is there anything I can do about it to make it easier?

Everyone’s experience is different as there are no two women exactly the same. The list, after doing a little research, is somewhat extensive. I have not included everything. These are just some of the symptoms I am experiencing.

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• High blood pressure
• Night sweats
• Insomnia
• Achy sore muscles, tendons and joints
• Increased allergies
• Tinnitus (ringing in ears)
• Itchy crawling skin
• Sudden bouts of bloating
• Incontinence
• Mood swings (especially sudden tears)
• Changes in hair (more grays popping up everywhere)

After talking with some of my friends who are still experiencing it or have recently gone through it, their time-frames are somewhat different. Some say it only lasts a few years while others have said it will go on for up to ten years. (God, help me if I have to go through this for ten years!)

I’ve been experiencing this for about two years now. The first year, I didn’t realize it. I just thought it was my moodiness. I have been paying attention to things that make me feel better and things that make me feel worse. These are not all the different things that I do, but here are some.

  • I have noticed that when I have a glass (ONE) of wine at night, the next day my blood pressure is normal. Skip the wine, the blood pressure is pre-hypertension.

  • Taking the time every other day to walk for an hour helps my mood swings. It’s also very relaxing and healthy.

  • Drinking more water helps my skin itchiness.

  • Staying away from people who cause irritability is always a good thing.

  • Talking with a good friend about how you feel

Hope you found this interesting and informative. I would love to hear how you deal with perimenopause.

Be sure to check out some of the other great M-Blogs today.

 

M

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Imperfect I Am

Posted on April 10, 2015 | 1 comment

 Invisible

I want to rant about what I think. There are lots of words that I could have IMPOSED on. I prefer to do IT a little differently and INJECT what I feel about several I words. In case you haven’t figured it out, I’ll give you a little hint on what the common denominator is.

We live in an “I am so IMPORTANT, self-absorbed with what I think” world. INCONSIDERATE IGNORANT IDIOTS surround us on a daily basis. I am guilty of being IMPERIOUS and I’m also very IMPATIENT. I find it is necessary in certain INSTANCES. I’m not a doormat, for crying out loud.

How many times do you get a phone call from someone and all they want to talk about is themselves? I this, I that, I want, I need… How many emails or text messages do you receive from people who are asking for a favor to be done? All of them?

These IDIOSYNCRASIES I speak of are something I am guilty of. INSTEAD of taking a minute to say “How are you?” or “Is there anything I can help you with today?” or “I’m just texting to say ‘Hi, have a great day!”  I usually jump right into what I want or desire from you. Boo-hoo, poor me. I not much of a donkey….

I came up with short list of how to focus more on others rather than always thinking it’s about me and what I want. Feel free to use it yourself. I’m going to try to be better at it on a daily basis.

  • Respond to emails and return voice messages IMMEDIATELY!
  • Never be ILL-TEMPERED when things don’t go the way you planned.
  • When something is bothering you communication is IMPERATIVE.
  • Don’t IGNORE requests for help.
  • Accept IMPERFECTIONS in the people you associate with. No one is perfect, not even you.
  • IMPLEMENTING these simple tasks will make the day go smoother, but realize there are still going to be IGNORAMUSES to deal with.
 

Another I word I love is Irene!

 

And let’s not forget Toby Keith wants to talk about I.

This is my “I” poem.

I

I am so great,

why can’t you see

What’s important

 to me, is me

I wear the finest

clothes there are

I drive the biggest,

maddest car

Golden rings

adorn my fingers

I walk by,

my perfume lingers

Love to promote

myself at work

My colleagues think

I’m such a jerk

That’s not the case,

I’m just trés vain

Cuz’ when you fail,

it helps me gain

You can’t do this,

I can do that

I will connive

just like a cat

Self-serving is

my middle name

It helps to

elevate my fame

I’m the top dog

on the ladder

Trust in me,

your dreams I’ll shatter

My opinion

you see is true

Things I do

are better than you.

Hope you enjoyed my I rant. Please be sure to leave your comments and check out some of the other great bloggers who have joined the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

I

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FollyGoss

Posted on April 7, 2015 | 7 comments

5finger

 F-Words

I thought about writing a short story about a family of children who were all missing fingers. The reason was because it was their punishment for getting caught stealing. But they had to steal. It was the only way they could survive, and help the rest of the family survive. The punishment for not stealing was even worse. Some of the children had four digits while some had two. It all depended on how well they were at getting away with the five-finger discount.

Yeah, kind of morbid huh?  I found that the Islamic law says the whole hand is to be removed for stealing. So I changed my mind about writing that story.

Then I decided to fabricate an F-word for today’s F-Blog. Something like Fudruckers or Fallybuckets. But the words just didn’t seem to flow freely.

So I guess it’s another day to fume about a few favorite F-Words.

 

  • Fugly is what my mood has been lately.
  • Friendship is something I value.
  • Families are special.
  • Fabrication is part of my everyday existence; without it my writing efforts would be futile.
  • Frowning causes wrinkles.
  • Fireworks are fun, but can be dangerous.
  • Fuchsia would be my favorite color if there were no red.
  • Facades are something I usually can see right through.
  • Facetious is something people don’t find the humor in when I’m trying to be funny.
  • Fairytales are where I spend my time when I don’t want to face the future.
  • First time at anything doesn’t make me good, I have to practice.
  • Fan-followers would be really cool for me.
  • Fryeburg Fair is a place everyone should experience if they visit Maine.
  • Fuck is a naughty word, but fun to say.
  • Foolish people are frustrating.
  • Facebook and FanStory are F-topics I’ve blogged about before.
  • Fellowship is something I wish I had more of.
  • Funnel cakes were a favorite treat for my kids at bluegrass festivals.
  • Fernando is my female cat who thinks she’s a male puppy. (Probably because I tell her that.)
  • Fresca used to be my favorite soda.
  • Frankfurter rolls are unheard of in the south.
  • Flowers fill my flowerbeds.
  • Freedom is something we should never take for granted.

F

Be sure to check out some of the other great F-Blogs.

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Posted in Blogging, Creative writing, Inspiration, Pondering, Quotes and Thoughts, Random, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Challenge

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Aside

  The Tooth Fairy came last night. I found a dime under my pillow. Hooray for me! A trip to the general store is on my agenda. But first I must go scrounging around underneath the couch cushions, and in … Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted on April 2, 2015

Thinking Cap

Posted on March 25, 2015 | Leave a comment

blogging

 

One week from today the A-Z challenge will begin. I’m very excited about it even though I didn’t choose a theme. I’ve been reading some of the other writers’ blogs and themes that they have chosen, and am very much looking forward to following them. There is a lot of interesting writings/blogs/writers out there. So much to read, so little time.

I wish I was organized enough to have come up with a theme. Maybe I will be when April 2016 rolls around. I’m usually pretty good at winging it. I can come up with a topic and make it fun or sad or serious or controversial so I’m not worried about the challenge. In fact I’m really looking forward to it. I may need a reminder when the letter J or O rolls around. Hopefully I’ll make it that far.

If you’ve not signed up to join in the fun, I’m pretty sure there’s still time. Check it out and enjoy the month of April blogging A-Z!

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Serial Killer Research

Posted on March 24, 2015 | Leave a comment

collage

Didn’t sleep well last night. Not sure if it was the two diet sodas I drank in the afternoon or the book I’m reading. It’s quite disturbing. I don’t know how to feel about it because when I’m reading it, I feel sorry for the notorious serial killers described in the book.

• Henry Lee Lucas 1936 – 2001 Died of heart failure while serving life in prison
• Gary Schaefer 1951 – serving life in Leavenworth, Kansas
• Carlton Gary 1952 – on death row in Georgia
• Bobby Joe Long 1953 – on death row in Florida
• Charles Manson 1934 – serving life at Corcoran State Prison in California (Up for parole in 2027)
• Richard Macek 1948 – 1987 (suicide)
• John Wayne Gacy 1942 – 1994 Execution (that had some issues that sounded similar to the lethal injection in the movie Law Abiding Citizen with Gerard Butler)
• Ted Bundy 1946 – 1989 Execution
• Richard Ramirez 1960 – 2013 Had been on death row for more than 23 years and died of complications to B-Cell lymphoma
• Leonard Lake 1945 – 1985 (suicide)
• Antone “Tony” Costa 1944 – 1974 (suicide)
• Jeffrey Dahmer 1960 – 1994 beaten to death by inmate
• Harry F. Powers 1892 – 1932 Execution

How does a person feel sorry for a serial killer? They did heinous crimes; tortured, raped, and killed men and women, and even young children. How can you have compassion for someone like that? Yet, I read much about their young lives and how they were treated as a child, and what they endured as they grew up, and it caused me sadness. I’m not saying they should not be in prison, or on death row, or whatever punishment has been inflicted on them. I’m not playing devil’s advocate. Still, I am moved and troubled by their lives as well as the lives of people they destroyed.

I do subscribe to the age of accountability, and that a person is responsible for his or her own actions. There comes a time when life is not to be blamed on your parents. But when a child is malnourished over and over again, or a mother beats a child into a coma, or a father forces a child to have sex with animals for his own enjoyment, how can a child grow up and be emotionally and physiologically right?

Why do I read this shit that disturbs my mind? Research for my novel which is about a serial killer. I’ve learned so much about them through this research for writing my new novel. My whole attitude has changed. It’s kind of scary actually. To feel compassion for someone who has brutally raped, tortured and killed… that’s crazy. It sort of makes you realize that no matter what a person is going through, or dealing with, you never really know what’s deep inside and what demons they are trying to hide.

One should realize when you are working on a novel, sometimes you are so involved in your characters you think that you are living their lives. Could I be a serial killer? Ha ha! Hell, no! Although after reading some of the characteristics of a serial killer, it makes me watch people a little more vigilantly. All part of the package of being a writer I guess.

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Been Blog Slacking?

Posted on March 20, 2015 | Leave a comment

APRIL-CALENDAR [2015]

So I admit I’ve been slacking on my blogging lately. I’ve left it in my daughter’s hand to inspire me with a picture on a daily basis so I could write something, anything.

Well now that she has her own blog Robyn Ann Photos  and we share a blog: The Write Photo, it hasn’t left me much time for blogging here, my recipe blog Crackerberries  or my poetry blog Yellow Dot.

TALK ABOUT PROPAGANDIZING MYSELF!

WOW, I am sorry about that and please forgive me for all that because I really wanted to share that I’m very excited about the upcoming challenge for the month of April.

BLOGGING FROM A-Z

Themes will be revealed on Monday. I did not sign up with a theme. I’m giving myself a little slack. I figured I will wing it with this being my first year in the challenge, and see where A — through — Z takes me.  I can’t wait. It’s very exciting.  If you want to join in the fun, there’s still time.  Get yourself signed up.

 SIGN UP FOR THE A-Z CHALLENGE

 And read the instructions first… I didn’t and ended up signing up twice.  Oopsies.  But if you have been slacking on your blog, here’s your chance to get back into the swingy-dingy of things. And I’m sure there will be so many good things to read…. I’m so looking forward to the month of April!

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