Month: January 2020

#FridayThoughts: #AccountaClub, January 2020

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So here we are, the first last Friday of the year, and time for #AccountaClub! For the new arrivals, AccountaClub is where we talk about our goals and how they’re going, and in 2020, it’s happening on the last Friday of every month.

Goals for me were medium this month. I did some editing, but not enough; I was largely derailed by this cold that is gaining ferocity daily. It’s a tricky one.

I did start doing some freelancing for Rantt Media, it seems that the political writing is going to flood out of me no matter what, I might as well lean into it.

Fitness-wise, my goal is to do five Daily Burn workouts a week, and I got all my workouts in, despite the cold. I’m particularly proud of that, this week it was very difficult, but I modified as necessary and didn’t push too hard. I think that’s a good life lesson, as forward motion is forward motion.

And that’s me. How was your January?

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

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Ten Word Photo Prompt: Air

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Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com

It’s ten word photo prompt time! Using the photo above as a writing prompt, write a ten word story.

Exactly ten words.

Ready? Here’s mine:

Jody willed those flying lessons to kick in. Now, please.

#WednesdayWisdom: Froggy

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I sound exactly like a frog today. If a frog could talk and we all know some can. I’d like to think I have a more varied vocabulary than most frogs, but with the internet, who knows.

We’re still in gray today, it doesn’t look like that’s changing any time soon, but I don’t think it’s going to snow or rain.

Just be gray. How fitting.

I’m trying to tell this virus what’s what, but it seems it doesn’t want to listen. How dare it. Aside from no voice, I have a cough, but otherwise, I’ve felt worse. Not that I’m sending out any invitations.

I guess I’m not that chatty today, out loud or written, so that’s it for my Wednesday. I hope you have a lovely, cold-free one.

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

#TuesdayThoughts: Coldish

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My voice is down an octave at least, and I think I’ve got a cold. Which seems unfair, but there are so many of them this year. But I will fight it.

Let’s go immune system.

It’s gray again, and it might be snow, I think it’s snow, but it’s not very determined about it. It’s quiet today, maybe everyone has colds.

Maybe.

My coffee felt good with my scratchy throat, hot beverages for me today. Many many hot beverages for me.

What’s a winter without a cold, anyway? More pleasant, probably.

The good thing about writing is it doesn’t take much physical exertion. Though I did do my workout this morning, and it did make me feel better.

Who knew?

I’m off to make some tea, probably, or something warm and soothing. You have a wonderful, cough-free Tuesday.

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

#MondayThoughts: Grumpy Monday

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I’m in the midst of a grumpy Monday, and by that I mean Monday is grumpy. Not me. Aside from picking up a cough, apparently, I’m peachy.

No, it’s Monday who’s lashing out, with Twitter typos and messing up my coffee. I have a single-cup coffee maker that uses a cone filter, not a pod, and I started the coffee this morning without a cup underneath.

OK, well, that one might have been me.

But Monday made me do it. Somehow.

It’s gray again, a hint of fog but this one looks warmer than the last, if such a thing is possible. Sparse snow lies uneasily in streaks over grass that is oddly more green than brown.

I suppose we all adapt.

And adapt we must. I hope you dodge its grumpiness and have a marvelous Monday.

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

#FridayThoughts: At least it’s Friday?

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So here we are, back to Friday. It’s thickly foggy outside, to the point that I can’t verify there actually is an outside, and though I’ve had my coffee, it certainly doesn’t feel like it.

A second cup of coffee isn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility.

Maybe a third.

Just kidding!

Sort of.

It’s been a long, loud week, one of deep, lasting societal disappointment as we watched Republicans do exactly what we knew they would do, and yet it was still surprising to see. And then they complained about plain statements describing exactly what they were doing. They want to do it, they just don’t want to take the responsibility for it.

Too bad.

So on we go to the weekend, and possibly into democracy’s oblivion.

Who’s to say.

What I do know is I have a list of things that need doing, and then I’m going to crochet my way to zen. If at all humanly possible.

Have a great Friday, and an even greater weekend.

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

Ten Word Photo Prompt: Not Ideal

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Photo by Pedro Figueras on Pexels.com

Thursdays bring snow showers, apparently, but also ten word stories! So using the photo above, write a ten word story. Exactly ten words.

Ready?

Here’s mine:

Biofog condensed, RegenCrew watched, agape, as only a hand emerged.

#WednesdayWisdom: Maintaining sanity

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Right now, life feels like a narrow, narrow band with screaming banshees all around, shapeless, formless noise, like something out of an old Loony Tunes cartoon. So much information, and reality questioned at every turn, treated as though it’s merely optional.

It’s pretty easy to get carried up, up and away, but we need to stay grounded.

My best bet? Just taking a few minutes to force myself to be in the moment. Really examine something in your environment. Really listen to the sounds around you. Breathe.

All of this stuff is going to happen with or without us. While we can do our part to make sure things turn out OK, there is so much beyond our part that is out of our control. And that’s fine.

Life continues, even in the chaos, and it’s not wrong to keep that going too. Be aware, keep up to date, but make sure you ask your leaders to do their part for you. That’s why they’re there.

Take care of yourself and have a great Wednesday.

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

#TuesdayThoughts: Confessions

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On Sunday I braved some frigid, frigid temps to go to Michael’s and buy yarn. So much yarn.

So very much yarn.

In my defense, I had a great coupon. And the yarn was on sale. But purchases beget other purchases and now I need something in which to store all that yarn.

I did get a reusable shopping bag where I have the yarn for the project I’m crocheting right now, and it’s got a zebra with a crown of flowers and I ask you, how does a person resist such a thing?

How?

Besides, right now, crochet is a thing that I need. There are worse habits to feed.

It’s still frigid, but it’s gleaming outside like an ice cube, the sky a bright, cool blue except at the horizon, where even now there’s a faint band of color. Maybe the sun didn’t feel like getting up this morning.

I get it.

This is January in Chicago, determined sunshine with no warmth at all, and it’s its own kind of beautiful.

Less beautiful is the state of my manuscript, so I’m going to get on to that. I hope you have a fabulous Tuesday.

Check out  my full-length novels: 
Aunty Ida’s Full-Service Mental Institution (by Invitation Only)   
Aunty Ida’s Holey Amazing Sleeping Preparation (Not Doctor Recommended) 
Her Cousin Much Removed
The Great Paradox and the Innies and Outies of Time Management.
And download Better Living Through GRAVY and Other Oddities, it’s quick and weird and FREE!
Peruse Montraps Publishing
See what I’m writing on Medium.

#MondayThoughts: Let’s Monday up this joint or the Legacy of Dr. King

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And by joint I mean slang from early last century, not the marijuana kind, even though that would be perfectly legal here in Illinois. Not my thing but you do you. With the blessing of the Illinois state legislature.

Well, that’s a tangent I didn’t expect to take this morning. No, here on this particular Monday, on this day of remembering the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,. I am raring to go.

Because here’s the thing. When he started, he had so much further to go than we have to go. When he started, the people before him had even further to go. And the people before that came here in chains, against their will, eventually to be decreed 3/5ths of a person.

Just think about that.

But here we are in a future full of robots who can vacuum your floor and cars wanting to drive themselves and more information within our grasp than any human could conceive. We can speak and be heard.

Dr. King’s legacy isn’t just the remarkable things he did. His legacy lies in what he showed us we could do.

And with that thought, I feel renewed to face the wilds ahead. These are tough times, but there have been tough times before. Oppression’s win is in our resignation to it.

We will not be resigned.